On Lynn Vi Ebarita's case: 4 more tag in the slain

THE evidence submitted in the complaint for the murder of call center worker Lynn Vi Ebarita identified her companions on the night she disappeared.

According to the daily staff journal of the Mandaue City Police Office, Ebarita was with two other women, Jonnelle Enfectana and Evelyn Apelado, and three men identified as Wabert Diu, Arnel Babon and a certain Roxan or Raxo.

Shown a sketch of the “Tina Panganiban” who reserved Room 309 of the Nikkei Garden Hotel, three witnesses also said in their joint affidavit that the woman was Apelado. Ebarita’s body was found behind that room.

Her boyfriend in the United States also confirmed in an online chat that Ebarita was with some men and women before she was killed.

The boyfriend said he called up the victim’s cell phone three days after she failed to come home and another woman answered the phone. He also heard that woman talking to some men.

The printed chat messages between the victim’s boyfriend and Enfectana was the document she gave investigators before she was arrested.

Authorities are trying to determine if the others were involved in Ebarita’s death.

Stabbed 24 times and stuffed in a plastic bag, Ebarita was found last Jan. 22. Enfectana has since been named a respondent in a murder complaint.

Investigators recovered the victim’s wallet in Enfectana’s boarding house on the day they arrested her.

Enfectana, through her lawyer, is contesting the legality of her arrest and the search in her room, both of which were not covered by warrants.

The head of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch, Chief Insp. Eddie Recamara, said in his affidavit that the house owner approved their search and was even there when they discovered the victim’s wallet.

In the inquest proceedings, Recamara and his three investigators submitted, among others, the progress report of MCPO Director Senior Supt. Orlando Ualat; the MCPO daily staff journal prepared by PO3 Charlie Callet; the joint affidavit of three TeleTech employees; and the joint affidavit of the victim’s sister and relatives.

They also submitted the joint affidavit of the arresting officers Recamara and investigators SPO1 Arnulfo Quiachon Jr., SPO1 Rico Cabatingan and PO3 Protacio Tago Jr.

Recamara requested that the names of the witnesses be withheld, so as not to expose them to unnecessary risk.

Ualat’s progress report revealed that a certain Tina Panganiban rented Room 309 at 1 p.m. last Jan. 18.

At 9 p.m. that same day, the victim was with Enfectana, Apelado and Diu, drinking at the corner of Escario and Juana Osmeña St. in Cebu City.

The report further stated that Apelado and Diu were Enfectana’s neighbors in Tacloban City.

The staff journal named the other suspects as Babon and Rackso, from Borongan town in Samar. The two were also with the group that night.

“These names mentioned could not be contacted and never showed up during the conduct of the investigation,” the journal said.

Ualat’s report stated that at 1 a.m. on Jan. 19, hotel personnel who delivered beer to Room 309 saw the victim and “Tina Panganiban” inside.

Three TeleTech employees executed an affidavit stating that at 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 18, they met the victim, Enfectana and her cousin Apelado. The women reportedly said they were waiting for a taxi.

The call center employees said that Apelado wore a fisherman’s hat and big dark sunglasses, even if it was nighttime. “Tina Panganiban” wore the same things as well, the hotel’s front desk in-charge later told the police. (OCP)